


Before the Sun Sets

by 8brains



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-22
Updated: 2016-07-22
Packaged: 2018-07-25 23:29:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7551340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8brains/pseuds/8brains
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy's mother sends him to gather up his siblings and take them to town while the rest of the house prepares for their guests.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Sun Sets

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to get back into writing after 5 years of not! So here's a fic where nothing much happens but sibling snark and being sad about growing up. I also think I may have mixed up the ages a little.

_573...594...627...624_

The concoction seemed to barely move. He thought about adding water but he was afraid that might give him an impure reaction. It had to be exact. The temperature seemed about right but he had built the thermostats himself and while he was certainly very good it would have been much more helpful if he could have just - 

“Percival.”

He snapped his head up at the sound. His mother, and by the look on her face she’d been standing there a while. He straightened himself, and did his best to look like she hadn’t surprised him. 

“Can I help you mother?”

Her face softened as she smiled knowingly at her son. 

“Darling, what could you possibly be doing in here that has you so focused?”

He sighed, she was going to ask him to do something. She always started off that way when she was trying to get him to do something.

“I’m trying to separate a specific component from the soil”

“Whatever for?”

Percy searched his mind for an answer she might accept. He knew from experience that “curiosity” and “the overall benefit of mankind” were not things that could excuse him from meeting guests and corralling his siblings.  
He hesitated a moment too long, she was already making his way over to his side of the table. 

“Why don’t you take a break dear? You know I worry about you cooped up here all day. A boy your age should see the sun once in awhile.”

He deflated as he sighed, and his mother’s smile grew at her easy victory. 

“You have something specific in mind I take it?”

“I do, I want you to take the children into town for the day so we can prepare to receive our guests.” 

“Guests?”

“Yes Percival guests, and the last thing the staff needs is a group of children running around and getting in their way.”

“They’re hardly children”

She reached up and cupped his face in her hand. 

“You’ll always be children to me, just yesterday you were crying your poor eyes out after Julius pushed you into the Sun Tree, and why the day before that I was I was wiping up your-”

“Into town then? When would you like us back?”

She laughed at him, and her cupped hand moved to his chin, pulling him down to kiss his forehead.

“There expected just around sunset so I think two hours before should suffice.”

He began to gather his things. A notebook he stuffed into a bag on the table next to him, and a few coins he found in the pockets of his winter cloak. 

“Oh, and don’t let your brother near the baker’s girl! The two of them are setting themselves up for heartbreak. Make sure Oliver doesn’t start any fights, and don’t let Whitney egg him on like she does.”

He was halfway out the door, waiting for her to finish. 

“Don’t let Cassandra dirty herself up, the servants have enough to worry about without having to bathe her. And Percival _do not_ spend all day in that curiosity shop. I mean it, fresh air and sunlight.”  
He rolled his eyes, but acquiesced to her request and went off to find his siblings. 

\--

Conveniently, Ludwig and Oliver were fencing. Though not together, and Whitney sat on the edges calling out to Oliver to distract him. She didn’t seem to notice as he approached and he took that opportunity to grab her shoulders, causing her to jerk in surprise. 

“Percival!” she yelled, slapping his arm and looking incredibly offended. 

Her yelp had managed to attract the attention of the others causing Oliver’s sparring partner to get in the finishing blow. 

“Do you want something Percy?” he snapped, throwing the mask onto the ground. Percy chose to ignore his sour mood for the moment. If they were going to have to spend the day together he thought it best to pick his battles. 

“It seems we’re going to town for the day”

Ludwig, who hadn’t been paying to much attention perked up in a way that Percy knew would make their mother unhappy. Whitney stood up, dusting her skirts off as he bounded over to them.

“When are we leaving?” he asked with a broad grin. 

“As soon as possible, though mother gave me explicit instructions - “

Ludwig grabbed his shoulder. 

“Percy listen, I’m not really in the mood to play games. And that’s not just because you usually win. I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t tell mother that you spent the day in that curiosity shop if you don’t tell her I went to see Becca.”

He rolled the idea around in his head for a bit. He hadn’t been planning to go to the curiosity shop. He was going to go to Simon’s instead, which wasn’t technically the curiosity shop his mother had been speaking about. But he also knew that detail would hardly matter if Ludwig brought it up to her. 

“Alright, deal”

Ludwig let out a delighted laugh and pulled him in for a hug, causing Percy to tense up in protest. 

“Thank you Percy. Just give me thirty minutes to clean up a bit” and before he could say anything Ludwig bounded out of the room. 

“Why don’t you ever talk about girls like that Percy?” Whitney asked as they watched the door their brother had exited through. He was going to respond before he felt Oliver approach him on the other side. 

“Ludwig says you stopped being interested in girls the day you got married”

The two of them could be so obvious sometimes. But Percy felt a little bad for causing Oliver to lose his fight and so decided to indulge him for a moment. 

“Oh really? And who was it I married?”

“Science.” said Oliver and Percy couldn’t help but laugh a little at that, much to Oliver’s annoyance. It was true, in a way. There was so much to _do_ , he didn’t have time for romance.  
The statement sounded nothing like anything Ludwig would say. And the lack of subtlety made Percy suspect that Oliver had come up with it without the help of his twin.

“Are you trying to get me to fight Ludwig?”

He heard Whitney let out an exasperated sigh, and Percy knew he had assumed correctly. Oliver went to respond, but on his other side Whitney had decided to give up the act. 

“Ser Aston told him that if he wanted to fence Ludwig he had to beat you first. He thinks if he can watch you fight he can get a good idea of how he compares.”

Percy really laughed at that. Ludwig was leagues ahead of him when it came to fencing. And if Ser Aston had really said that to Oliver it meant he didn’t trust that his brother had even the basics down. 

“Are the two of you quite done trying to turn us all against each other? Because I would like to leave sometime before we’re suppose to be back.” 

Oliver glared at his sister, who just shrugged and turned back to Percy. 

“Is Cassandra coming?”

That was an odd question, and one that managed to catch Percy off guard. Good for her. 

“As she’s part of the group that mother refers to as ‘the children’ i imagine she is, yes”

The twins shared a look, what it meant Percy couldn’t discern but he had no doubt that whatever issue the three of them were having he would hear about it from one of them before the day was up. 

“Actually, do you know where she is?” 

He had hoped she would be in her with them, the girl never passed up the chance to fence if she could help it, but too much convenience was too much to ask for he supposed. They didn’t know, and in any case Oliver wanted some time to “freshen up” before they left so they agreed to meet at the castle entrance in twenty minutes. 

“I mean it, if I have to go out looking for you I swear to Pelor I will spend the whole day making yours as difficult as possible.”

\--

Cassandra was taking lessons, but he was surprised to find Vesper instead of Professor Anders going over the math work she had done the night before.  
Lady Briarwood was an old friend apparently, though Percy was sure he’d never mentioned her, and Anders had gone out to meet them.  
Vesper walked them out, she and Percy trailing behind as Cassandra ran ahead towards the front hall. 

“Mother seems excited than to have guests.” he said conversationally. 

“Yes well, she just recently discovered that Lord Briarwood has a cousin about your age. And they way she’s been fawning over our sister in-law’s belly I would wager she’s got one thing on the mind.”

Percy could feel the heat rising into his cheeks, making his sister laugh. 

“I don’t see why I should have to get married before you do. Actually, as the third child I don’t see why I should have to get married at all.”

Vesper looped her arm through his. 

“You don’t, technically. Our parents have certainly produced enough children that they can afford to have one remain a bachelor. But mark my words dear brother, our mother is a dragon. And her horde is made of grandchildren.”

That made Percy snort, and he wished desperately that Vesper could come to town with them. She was much better at being in charge then him, and much easier to talk to. And besides that she’d been so busy lately helping Julius and their father run Whitestone and sort through her own suitors Percy thought she deserved an afternoon off.  
He didn’t have much time with her left. Thinking of her growing up properly, getting married, moving to some other lord’s estate somewhere far off. He couldn’t help but be sad just thinking about it.  
She noticed of course, she could always tell what he was thinking. 

“I have an idea” she said, patting his arm as they came upon the front gates. Noticeably absent of any of his siblings. Including Cassandra. 

“When the Briarwoods have left we should take a trip to Westrun. Just the two of us. It occurs to me that neither of us have ever been to a city larger than the one we were born in and I think we ought to see a bit of the world before we’re tied down.”

He smiled at the thought. Even though he was sure it would never happen, their parents were much to protective to just let them _go_ to Westrun. But it was still nice to think about. 

“No babysitting.” he said

“No responsibilities” she continued. 

They fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for the rest of their siblings. Cassandra came on Ludwig’s back, something Percy thought she was entirely to old for but Ludwig was nothing if not indulgent.  
At one point a servant came to get Vesper, as she was needed inside. But she was determined to see them off properly and sent them away. And then, finally, a full half an hour after they had agreed to meet, the twins came sauntering over to the gates. She hugged them each in turn, squeezing Percy especially hard. 

“Are you alright?” he asked her. It occurred to him that he was so focused on how their growing apart made him feel that he forgot to think about how it might be affecting her. He took that moment to really look at her, and noticed how tired she was. She smiled at him sadly and smoothed his lapels. 

“Of course I am. I just wish I could go with you is all.” Percy pulled her in for a proper hug.

“Westrun” he said

“Westrun” she said into his chest.

“We’re waiting on you now Percival!” Whitney called from behind him. Vesper laughed, and pushed Percy towards their siblings. Waving goodbye as they made their way down the mountain.


End file.
